Canarias a step into the unknown for ace Pons

Xevi Pons will enter an Intercontinental Rally Challenge round in a Super 2000 car for the first time when he contests Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles next month in what his team manager Luis Moya has said will be a step into the unknown.

The 31-year-old Pons will drive an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 for the Nupel Estrella Galicia squad, which is managed by Moya, a multiple rally-winning co-driver. Although Pons will be focusing on the Spanish championship, which is running in tandem with the IRC qualifier, the Spaniard will nevertheless be eligible for IRC points.

“We won’t know for another two weeks when we have our first Spanish championship event what our level will be against the other drivers from Spain and with our new tyres,” said Moya. “And for the IRC we really don’t know all the drivers yet so it is difficult to say how Xevi will do.”

Moya continued: “It can rain on the rally but normally it doesn’t, which makes it quite a simple rally in terms of the tyres and set-up but strong in terms of the competition.”

The Nupel team has a proven track record on Rally Islas Canarias. When the event was included on the IRC schedule for the first time last season, Sergio Vallejo finished eighth overall in a Fiesta S2000 while Yeray Lemes took the IRC 2WD Cup honours in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta R2.

Rally Islas Canarias runs from 14-16 April and counts as round two of the 12-event IRC season.